T-Birds Erase 2-0 Deficit to Earn Point vs. Penguins

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Springfield Thunderbirds (25-14-5-2) erased a 2-0 deficit in the final period to earn a point, but the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (20-21-2-3) came away with a 3-2 shootout win on Saturday night inside the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

The fifth matchup of the season series started out slowly, despite a combined 26 shot attempts in the opening frame. Joel Hofer and Tommy Nappier made 12 and 14 saves in their respective goal creases without lots in the way of dangerous chances for either team. Springfield's first power-play chance of the night came and went without much to show for it.

The second period opened with a bang for the Penguins, who took just 44 seconds to tally the first goal of the night at 4-on-4 play. Alex Nylander was able to beat his man on the left-wing side, then elevated a wrist shot to the top shelf behind Hofer to make it 1-0 for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Seeking some insurance, former Blues prospect Mitch Reinke delivered just that at 12:30 for the Penguins, as his point wrist-shot sneaked through traffic and eluded Hofer to give Wilkes-Barre/Scranton the 2-0 lead. The Penguins controlled play for much of the middle stanza, outshooting Springfield 13-3 in the game's middle 20 minutes.

However, the  T-Birds' third-period response would be fast. Just 23 seconds into the third, operating on a power play, Sam Anas set up James Neal in the slot area, and the veteran deposited the feed behind Nappier to bring Springfield to within a goal, 2-1. Scott Perunovich picked up the secondary helper, extending his AHL point streak to 13 games in a row.

Before the midpoint of the third, the game would be tied as Josh Wesley tracked down a puck on the right-wing wall and flung it toward the net. With traffic distracting Nappier, Wesley's shot squeaked in on the glove side to get Springfield equalized, 2-2, at 9:32 of the final period. 

Nappier and Hofer returned to their first period form for the remainder of the third period, securing a point in the standings for both teams and sending the season series into its fourth overtime of the year. This time, nothing was decided in the five-minute period, with Nappier coming up with a pair of clutch stops off Neal and Matthew Peca as part of Springfield's four-shot output in overtime.

Nylander and the Penguins would get the last laugh in the shootout, as the winger was able to beat Hofer on a backhand-to-forehand move, while Nappier came away with stops on Anas, Neal, and Hugh McGing to secure Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's first shootout win of the 2021-22 season.

Having now earned points in four consecutive games, the T-Birds maintain a hold of first in the Atlantic Division. The Thunderbirds complete the two-game Pennsylvania weekend in Allentown on Sunday for a contest against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at 3:05 p.m. at the PPL Center.

For more information on the Springfield Thunderbirds and to order tickets, please visit www.SpringfieldThunderbirds.com. To learn more about becoming a Thunderbirds ticket member, call (413) 739-GOAL (4625) to speak to a Thunderbirds representative.